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Hello great Nurses. It gives me great heart ache to give you the report of the case of alleged assault on two Nurses working in South West 3.

The incidence happened on 05/07/2017. I was on the ward today 06/07/2017 to make enquiries from the Nurses that were assaulted.

I met them (both morning and night Nurses) trying to put finishing touches to the incidence reports they were asked to write. They gave the account of the incidence as follows.

At 1.20am, a patient on the ward was said to have called one of the night Nurses to empty the urinal that he believed was half-filled. The Nurse reported that she told him to still use the urinal like that since it was not full already, that when she is done attending to another patient she was already attending to, she would go to empty the urinal. The patient was said to have refused.

He rather went to the toilet to urinate. When he returned to the bed, the Nurse went to him with the intention of replacing the finished intravenous fluid he was on. But he started shouting that the Nurse should not touch him. He went ahead to phone the mother (at home) and reported that the Nurses on the ward have refused to attend to him.

Fast forward to the morning. The morning Nurses were about taking over the shift when the patient stood up from his bed and was going out of the ward. One of the Nurses followed him, calling him back.

1. To prevent him from falling since the floor was just mopped.

2. To stop him from just walking out of the ward without notice.

The mother, seeing that the Nurse was preventing her son from coming outside the ward, started shouting that nobody should prevent her son from coming out. The Nurse was trying to explain to the mother that her son could fall since he was without support and that she should wait for the handing over process to finish so that she may come in.

On hearing the noise coming from the corridor, another Nurse came out from the changing room to ask the Nurse about what has happened to cause the noise. While the Nurse was attempting to explain to her colleague that just came out, the woman was said to be interrupting probing and asking the Nurse what she meant by trying to prevent her son from coming out.

The other Nurse was trying to calm her down when the woman allegedly slapped the Nurse, pushed her against the wall and tried strangulating her as she held her tightly by the neck. The other Nurse tried intervening, tried to persuade her to loosen her grip on the Nurse's neck but the woman instead pushed her against a nearby trolley, tore widely her uniform. Her shoes got spoilt in the scuffle. The Nurses were later rescued by the security personnel and other people that were around.

*The Assaulted Nurses' Reaction*
The nurses went ahead to report the incidence at NANNM office and the HOD'S office. NANNM representatives and the representatives of the HOD, Clinical Nursing, later came to the ward to assess the situation. Nothing else was done at that time.

*HOD's Reaction*
The representatives of the HOD later in the day returned to the ward to apologise to the patient and relatives and asked the Nurses involved to write incidence report. *Nothing was said about the issue of the assault on the two Nurses.*

*The Management's Reaction*
The father of the patient was said to have gone to make a one - sided case at the CMD's office this morning. The CMD was said to have directed that apology be tendered to the patient by the nurses.

Again, *nothing was said about the issue of the assault on the two Nurses .*

*My take:*
1. Nothing could be worse than Nurses being assaulted on duty. Nothing can possibly justify such barbaric behaviour and vicious attack on Nurses that are rendering care to patients to the extent of attempting to strangulate and wrecking their uniform and shoes.

2. I'm almost sure that should such thing happen to other health care professionals in the hospital, everything would not be as calm as it seems to be right now.

3. I believe Nurses really don't have to wait till patients and/or relatives start to maim or kill Nurses in UCH before we take necessary actions.

4. One would have thought that the NANNM and the office of the HOD would do better than adding further insults to injury by merely asking the Nurses on both shifts to write incidence reports but keeping silent on the issue of the assault.

5. One would have thought that the management would set up a panel of enquiry to investigate the matter rather than base judgment on the account of one side. This singular act of unfair treatment of Nurses dampens morale and in one way or the other impresses negatively on productivity and job satisfaction.
*Prayer*
I hope Nurses would realise that injury to one is injury to all. It could happen to anyone. You cannot remain silent in your comfort zones (though I cannot really see the comfort you enjoy as Nurses in the first place)

Prince Olusegun Edmund Alege I am not surprised. It is an innate behavior seen among Nurses. We don't care about each other and never bold to face situations. Those that are bold were hated by Nurses. It's a pity. I weep for Nursing

Ifeoluwa Adewole shaking my head seriously.. At this juncture, great nurses, For me, I think if we keep waiting on authorities to fight for us, then we would wait forever, cause this same issue has been lingering on for a while now. I am not so old in nursing, but believe me, I have been in the profession since 2010 student/being a staff nurse..

If it were me ADEWOLE ifeoluwa Helen, if the NANNM AND THE CMD of such place ain't ready to do the needful, then I'd gladly tender my resignation letter stating the reasons by which I am resigning and sending copies to the appropriate places Nannm, johesu, federal and state ministries, while I search for another job.
After all, who working for federal hospital don EPP sef, nasoso assault, non payment of salary, uniform allowance, teaching Allowances always..
NAIJA NURSES WAKE UP AND SAY NO TO SHITS
I REMAIN NURSE ADEWOLE.....

Chioma Anaghasim Chibuike That is why I like kano state. Both the state NANNM and the hospital NANNM would have responded in favor of the nurses

Temitope Ayorinde This has been happening for a long time, Nurses do not protect their own so why should "non-nurses" protect us? It's high time we fought for ourselves cos if we don't no one would... I'm very sure the battered nurses would be scolded,queried and given suspension all in the name of rendering care and ensuring patient's safety...... we younger generation of nurses would be the change we want... we refuse to be dormant. Mr Fejiro Oliver thanks for this "report" we really are not slaves, it's just that our birthright had been sold before we were born and now that we are here we will fight for all that belongs to us.

Whesu Toyin What rubbish. There is a great need for us to have legal nurses in Nigeria that help us in fighting all these pple rubbishing us.Hian

Yahaya Abdullahi When would nurses learn to take their destinies into their own hands? A patient and their relations molesting you on duty (physical battery) and you are waiting for somebody to give you sympathy? Very disgusting! I have said severally and want to repeat it here. If a governor, minister, president or any body at work into your work environment and without any guilty on your part, but just doing your normal routine job touched you, it should be spontaneously responded with equal amount of violence. There after we can discuss and report ourselves. Thanks

Ifeoluwa Adewole Right sir!!!!

Ngele Ernest Ndubuisi The Nurses should embark on industrial action to show their grievances, let me know who will take care of the remaining patients. If this should be done to a doctor, the whole hospital will be closed down. #rubbish #

Ifeoluwa Adewole This is one of the strategic way forward I am talking about

Liberty Lee It's because the Nurses always let go of the harm done to them, how often do any assault a male Nurse? Its really hard because they know they will get equal measure of their action.

Ogunjide Oyesina Ayoyinka Samuel Is unfortunate for the profession. All what the so call nursing elders know is ethics that will not fetch them anything. Nursing profession is a sorry profession right from d national level to local level. I wish Nannm in UCH can down tone, but they won't cus nurses are known to be angel, heart after Florence nightingale lolz, So unfortunate.

Chioma Jonah god pls help nurses so that they can fight our right

Ephraim Egoagwu The nurses should take legal action against the Institution, NANNM, HOD and the stupid CMD. This is what pains me so much about the profession. So if they had died who would have written the incidence report? Maybe their next of kin..... Why are nurses always the victims.. We should also watch our actions and most importantly understand the psychological reasons behind patient action.

Mercy E. Ukiwe Am beginning to hate this nursing, our leaders don't do anything. This rubbish cant happen to a Dr or a pharmacist or even ordinary CHEW, their leaders will fight for them. NANNM is rubbish, the only know how to sit down and fight against the junior nurses, they are just there for nothing sake.

Joy Ojonile Agagwu Am not surprised. This is what we get from being divided against ourselves. If I was the one? I will so defend myself....bypass all of them with their busy bodies and eye service. We are still sleeping...when they kill a nurse, they'll wake up

Favour Chidinma I swear oooo, if na me o Kasimanwuna favour chidinma, I must to sue them oooo before I start to hear beg. I will make mad money from the lawless bastards, I will sue the CMD, UCH, and NANNM, I will exaggerate the whole situation. The assaulter must spend some days in agodi prison.
I will do my job well without loopholes and also sue all the "sueables" if need be

Ephraim Egoagwu I bet you I will do same. When am done I will resign from the hospital.... Hahahha

Josiah Okesola-Jackson JUST MY POINT OF VIEW...
The victim did well by speaking out. And thanks Fejiro for escalating this.

As far as I am concerned though, in this age of social media propaganda, someone just sending out an anonymous report and expecting us to take it hook, line and sinker achieves little!

What is the intent of sending out a report when the reporter can not be contacted and the story verified. Are there witnesses? Do you have audio recordings or video evidences?
What is even the guarantee that the story is true?
And if it is, is there any guarantee that it is not one sided?

My Point exactly....
Any nurse that is serious and want to effect a change should take responsibility and lead the change by taking SERIOUS ACTION.
Not waiting for someone somewhere to come and fight for their rights.
Desperate situations they say, requires desperate measures.
Enough of all these raising of unnecessary alarm without the liver to stand up and fight for your right.
If the nurse who wrote this wants it to be taken up, the individual should start taking responsibility by following up with further action.

The Rhetorics....
Is he/she ready to release vital information? Is he/she willing to take this up legally? Is he/she willing to divulge vital details and other info as well as ready to speak when called upon.
And most importantly, is he/she ready to press charges?
Many of this frustrating news get to appropriate quarters and when the individuals involved are called to come and testify, they are afraid and go into hiding with the usual "I don't want to loose my job" excuse.

The Big Challenge.....
I suspect this person is seeing himself/herself as what is not - A VICTIM.
I don't know what everybody see, but all I see is an overnight media celebrity in the making, and who says not, probably a multi millionaire!
If the writer of this report is the victim and is really serious, I challenge him or her to write a report with his/her contact details and send to nursesonair@yahoo. com
If he/she is not ready to come out publicly and raise alarm, then that will be unnecessary. It would simply means "NO STORY!"

Chikena!

Favour Chidinma @josaih okesola Jackson gbam!! Well said
Nurses on air should be contacted and d person could be a millionaire.
But again how true is this story

Josiah Okesola-Jackson BREAKING NEWS!!!
The above report is a closed case!
Confirmed reports coming in reveals a lot that was not said in the above report. A lot that is better left UNSAID!
Conclusion: The above report is a ONE SIDED STORY!

Sadly, this is another proof of what I had always maintained, nurses talk too much but act less!

Lesson learnt:
1. Never you judge a case before you get the details of the full gist!

2. NURSES!!! MORE ACTION, LESS TALK!

Thanks Fejiro Oliver for the deep love you have for nurses! May God keep granting more power to your elbow!

I rest my case!

Folahanmi Rawfiat Sijuwola You see.. This Is an assault, battery punishable by law. But guess what all our people cares about are some set is archaic ethics that is completely outdated, more surprising, some of our own generation Nurses have joined the race of stagnation. I don't know how we can deal with this issue, but we need to let our voices be heard as regards this issue.

Rukayya A Gambo From this report, i say a very big kudos to FCT NANNM. They are always there for us, defending us in such situations.

Chinyere Adaobi ManDore The reaction of NANNM and the HOD nursing service is indeed one of my major problems with and in nursing profession in Nigeria and the nurses themselves are not helping issues. If the whole nurses on ground in that hospital at that particular point in time come together and do a peaceful protest damming association leaders and HOD, I bet you the management will wake up and do the needful. Because nurses have always been at the receiving end and some how they enjoy being there, that's why all these rubbish. It can't happen to the doctors I bet you. Even though some of the nurses could be terrible though.

Mutiyat Ishaq dear colleage, let have it at the back of our mind dt has the life of our pt is important, so our`s,dont let us be deceive by our job, let show care to ourself.on the HoD side, why are they laeder,if they can not give voice to the voiceless nurse and stand by them. pls nurses let accord ourselves due respect and defend ourselves whatever the sitution is.

Olufunke Temitayo Nurses only depend on God. They ate at the receiving end. May God deliver us

Ayinke Mummy I trust myself one slap is equal to 10 slaps, bcuz no fair justice to nurses so I better retaliate by myself. If ds is out of our ethics. am sorry but I av to do dat and denial my action

Helen Ogochukwu Okoye Uzoma One thing is berry sure in this profession of ours, it's all man to himself and that is why it has remained stagnated despite all the revolutions. My take in this particular scenario is that nursing care to the erring patient will be withdrawn until he and his family apologises to the nurses

Adejoke Awotona NANNMN wake up and do the needful, enough is enough. I will not be surprised if this is happening as a result of shortage, if I understand the write up initially when the patient called for the urinal to be emptied, the nurse was attending to another patient and promised to get it done when she finishes! It is time the needful is done in areas of manpower and working conditions to make it easier for us that are with the patients round the clock. The assault should be addressed, if their apex can not fight it out then their NANNMN should not disappoint Florence Nightingale.
Federal government should do something about manpower shortage in our hospitals.

Jim Osomoks Row Is an insult to d profession, dis why we have brain drain.

Ifunanya Nwadike That was how a nurse was beaten, strangled n her hair pulled off by the patient relative, finally they ruled against the nurse. Odiegwu anyi na olu nurse

Muhammad Nasir Adam It is the problem of our leaders they are always afraid of medical doctors just like their Angels. So we have standard up and correct it, if not patient will start killing nurses because they know nothing can happen if they did that.

Ifyeneh Udeh HODs have been failing their nurses since time immemorial!

Mamman Dan Musa Oh my nursing profession .what are our executives doing .? If you are tired , step down for z new generation whom are yet to be corrupted . Yes this is definitely true .

Sunshyne Olinya Ndupu My take on this is very simple, when a patient's relation give you a slap, please give him/her 3slaps(if you have the strength)at the end say sorry, cause if you do nothing, you will still end up saying sorry,,,,mtchwwwww nonsense plus ingredients.

Omefe Orevaoghene Agor This is so wrong and unfair, those Nurses are human beings first and Nurses. The woman needs to be taught a lesson. I bet if this has happened to another health professional all hell would have being let loose....they won't want you to fight back yet they don't want you to take action. Its high time we start speaking for ourselves. Change begin with us(Nurses).

Ekeocha Chinyere This treatment is not strange among nurses in this country, no job security for nurses here. but I think is high time nurses stood up for these barbaric challenges. Our parent body (NANNM) is not helping matters what they are interested in is our check off dues, they are weak. For most of our HODs are even weaker, they are still believing in the old the statement that says" patient is always right"

Ekeocha Chinyere Nurses in this country should be our brothers keeper no matter were you are because injury to one is injury to all. Let's say NO to this madness because a dead nurse cannot render nursing care.

Benadette Chioma Ezeji No nurse should allow herself to receive this kind of insult. defend itself immediately from assaults. if it was knife that the pt relative was holding, the nurse would have been dead. if it demands beating beat, bite,slap. Damn NANNM. who they help and nursing is still like this

Idoko Dominic Charity If am the one, I will give u three correct slap after all the mother is not the sick one, want if she kill the nurse in the process, they still blame the dead nurse, shine u eyes, do your work professionally and avoid over familiarity with your patients, defend ur self first bcos even ur next colleague that witness what happen Will testify against u if need be,

Hello great Nurses. In the words of Dave Barry, 'there's nothing wrong with enjoying looking at the surface of the ocean itself, except that when you finally see what goes on underwater, you realize that you've been missing the whole point of the ocean.'. So is the reported case of the assault on the two Nurses. I would want to state in clear terms that there is more to the case than meets the eye. Further enquiries into the matter revealed deeper issues and unstated facts surrounding the said case of assault. That been said, the perceived inactions of the office of the HOD, Clinical Nursing and officials of NANNM, UCH Chapter was grossly erroneous as the account of the incidence given by the said Nurses was a clear case of misrepresentation. I was made to realize that much was done and at the end of the day, the said patient's mother was said to have profusely apologized to the nurses and reconciliation was done. Also, further investigations revealed that there was no any directive from the hospital management to the Nurses to tender any apology to the patient and relatives as initially claimed by the assaulted Nurses. 'The beauty of this whole thing is that through disappointment you can gain clarity, and with clarity comes conviction and true originality'; Conan O'Brien.
Oluwakorede Omolola

Stella Martin It's the patient 's mother that attacked her, she should have slapped her back and still fill the incident form. She is a mad woman. The Nurses should stop to protest.

Giro Gere I want to ask us a question can people suggest one form of punishment or the other for such patient having it in mind that the patient is not well that's why he is in hospital so..

Esther Osadjere Bamgbose So sad! The way and manner nurses are treated in our country is devastating. How on earth will you do such a barbaric thing to your own care givers, it is right time for us all to educate the populace about nursing and nurses. We are to be honoured and well respected ,enough of bitterness and enemity shown by patients and their families. To the affected nurses, be calm and be optimistic. Let our bodies be proactive in their duties and we shall be at the right place.

Olufemi Kennie Temmylade Abeg, y can't the nurse beat the woman back, are they both wearing posthesis? They should beat the woman to stupor since nobody cares. Then they will visit the police office as Nigerian can citizens not as nurses. Please let's stop playing the victim role. If a patient tries that shit with me we will both be referred to a psychiatric hospital. Stand for yourself if no one is doing that

Monisola Okanlawon Atobatele Please let always make use of our domestic staff and security agent in time like this. We are working in an environment that's hostile. The management of the hospital should stop using nurses as a scapegoat goat or face to covers their shortcomings

Ifeoluwa Adewole Good morning great nurses
Please let us kindly create time out of our busy schedule to register and vote for me
Thanks

Aderinto Davyworld Adex I dnt know if those nurses were thought Ethio legal issues in Nursing, if patient relative give u 1 slap, please return it with 3. By d way u are nursing their patient and not them, even though Nursing is holistic I mean u nurse even members of the family, BT yet dey are not d 1 directly involved in ur care. Don't wait for judgment, no hospital mgt will defend u, not even NANNM as dey are all afraid of the mgt. Please stand against being molested by patient relative.

Edith Abana we ought to help yourself even when serving selflessness otherwise we may end up not living to see judgement taken by the authority.

Remmy Adebowale I'm waiting for the reactions of the NANNM, UCH after their own investigations, because I know they have good nursing leaders that know what to do.

Oge Annie Onwu Slapping back would have been the best option. No one knows how hard nurses work. The public do not know what it means to stand all through trying to help the sick. Sometimes a nurse can come to work hungry and goes hungry because she has no time to eat his/her food where she was taking care of patients. Then after that someone would ve the temerity to lay a finger on you. No, God forbid.

Dear Nurses and midwives, it is time we start taking proactive stand on management to take legal action on persons that verbally or physically assaulted nurses/midwives in their place of work. We should be prepared to down tool if hospital management refuses to address such incidents which is on the increase. Legal unit of NANNM should be ready to take up matters of assault on their member from any part of Nigeria. No more business as usual. Nurses and midwives must seen to be protecting their colleagues from verbal and physical harassment from patients' relatives.